autistry studios

What autistry studios does

Autistry Studios is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a therapeutic educational Maker Space in San Rafael that serves autistic and neurodivergent teens and adults through individualized, project-based programs combining licensed clinical support with hands-on STEAM and vocational training. The organization runs four core program tiers — the Teen CORE Program (teen cohort workshops), Core Workshops (weekly 4-hour sessions for ages 13+), the Skills Adaptation Program (ASAP, an entry-level adaptive skills program for adults 18+), and the Comprehensive Adult Program (ACAP, a 5-day/week integrated Education/Vocation/Life Skills/Physical Fitness curriculum) — delivered from its Du Bois Street headquarters facility. Participants use maker equipment (ShopBot CNC router, laser cutter, wood lathe) and produce goods (clocks, coasters, puppets, pens) sold through the on-site Makers Market retail storefront at the 4th Street Maker Incubator, while the Double Rainbow Cafe provides barista vocational training. External vocational placements with Marin County Parks, Western Railway Museum, Marin Shakespeare Company, and Square Peg Foundation/Cadence Farm extend real-world work experience.

The business model blends donated and earned revenue streams: tax-deductible individual donations (tiered up to $1,000, plus a gear-wall display incentive), program tuition (including a $50 creditable intake deposit, with ASAP funded in part through Golden Gate Regional Center billing), product sales via Makers Market and a Printify-based merch storefront, food and beverage revenue from the cafe, and small-ticket digital educational products (On the Road Community Mobility Program, $30–$50) sold through Square. Go-to-market is community-led and referral-driven: prospective families enter through a Calendly-scheduled informational call, an in-person tour, and word-of-mouth within the neurodivergent community, with Golden Gate Regional Center serving as a key institutional referral pipeline. Founded in 2008 by Janet Lawson and Dan Swearingen as a backyard program for four students, Autistry now operates two physical locations in San Rafael and markets services exclusively to the San Francisco Bay Area.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and is family-founded/led with no venture capital, private equity, or outside equity investment indicated. Operating scale is modest: roughly 13 named staff and managers, no disclosed revenue, and no public financial reporting. Differentiation rests on a multidisciplinary talent pool (LMFT-licensed clinicians plus OT and specialized educators), 18 years of accumulated individualized curriculum, and a tightly integrated ecosystem of clinical, maker, retail, and external vocational components — making it operationally distinctive but geographically constrained.

Name

autistry studios

Legal name

Autistry Studios Incorporated

Website

https://autistrystudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Needs Therapeutic Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Assistive Technology & Learning Tools (Educational) (EDAKAKAM), Assistive Technology (AT) Access & AAC Access Support (OT-Led) (EDAKAFAG)

Keywords

• Therapeutic education services
• Vocational training programs
• Neurodevelopmental support services
• Special needs makerspace
• Adult transition programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Autistry Studios is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 27-0699071) that relies on tax-deductible donations from individuals and the community to fund daily operating costs, tools, and program expansion. Donations can be directed to a General Fund or specific purposes (e.g., tools, lighting for gallery).
2. Product Sales (Makers Market): Student-created products including clocks, coasters, puppets, quilted placemats, sun catchers, and wooden pens are sold through the Autistry Makers Market retail storefront and via the Square site e-commerce platform. Student-made merchandise (hats, hoodies, shirts, mugs) is sold through Printify.
3. Cafe Revenue (Double Rainbow Cafe): The Double Rainbow Cafe, operated on-site at Autistry Studios, generates revenue through food and beverage sales while providing vocational training (barista skills) to program participants.
4. Program Tuition / Fee Payment: Fees are charged for program participation. The Skills Adaptation Program (ASAP) is supported by the Golden Gate Regional Center and is also available as a private-pay program. A $50 creditable deposit is required to schedule intake meetings.
5. Community Mobility Product Sales: The On the Road Community Mobility Program sells instructional PowerPoint presentations ($30), interactive games ($30), and bundled packages ($50) for neurodivergent individuals to learn about traffic safety.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Autistry Studios operates a therapeutic educational makerspace that delivers individualized, mentor-supported programs for autistic and neurodivergent teens and adults, including the Teen CORE Program, weekly Core Workshops, Skills Adaptation Program (ASAP), and the 5-day/week Comprehensive Adult Program (ACAP). Programs integrate licensed clinical services (LMFT, OTR/L) with hands-on maker/STEAM activities, vocational internships, life skills, and academic support, and produce sellable student-made goods through the Makers Market, Double Rainbow Cafe, and Autistry Merch channels.

Product overview

Autistry Studios is a therapeutic educational Maker Space offering multiple interconnected programs and retail operations. The core programs include the Teen CORE Program (therapeutic maker/STEAM workshops for teens), Adult Programs suite (Core Workshops, Skills Adaptation Program/ASAP, and Comprehensive Adult Program/ACAP). ACAP provides a 5-day/week comprehensive curriculum addressing Education, Vocation, Life Skills, and Physical Fitness. The Makers Market is a downtown retail shop selling student-created products including clocks, coasters, puppets, placemats, sun catchers, and pens. Autistry Press publishes books documenting the organization's journey. The Community Mobility Program offers instructional materials for traffic safety education. The Double Rainbow Cafe provides vocational training in barista skills while serving the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Makers Market: Downtown retail shop offering student-created products made in Production Workshops and Tinker Workshops
• Double Rainbow Cafe
• Autistry Merch

Products and services

• Teen CORE Program Therapeutic maker/STEAM workshops for autistic/neurodivergent teens in a small, mentor-supported cohort, engaging in hands-on Makerspace activities, peer relationship building, and social-emotional skill development to support lifelong independence.
• Core Workshops Weekly 4-hour therapeutic maker/STEAM workshops for individuals 13 years old and up with autism spectrum disorder and other social or communication challenges, focused on developing social communication, executive function, and specific job skills.
• Skills Adaptation Program (ASAP) Entry-level adaptive skills training program for young adults 18+ transitioning from high school, providing targeted training in life skills, appropriate social behaviors, and basic vocational aptitude to promote independence, starting at 2 days per week. Supported by the Golden Gate Regional Center and also available as a private-pay program.
• Comprehensive Adult Program (ACAP) 5-day-per-week comprehensive program for neurodivergent transition-age youth and adults, comprising four interwoven programs: Education, Vocation, Life Skills, and Physical Fitness/Healthy Living.
• Makers Market Downtown San Rafael retail shop at 850 4th Street selling student-created products made in Production Workshops and Tinker Workshops, including clocks, coasters, puppets, quilted placemats, sun catchers, and wooden pens. Open Monday-Friday 9am-2pm and Saturdays 9am-3pm.
• Double Rainbow Cafe On-site cafe providing vocational training in barista skills and cafe operations for interns, while also serving as a community gathering space open to the public at 850 4th Street, San Rafael.
• Community Mobility Program (On the Road) Instructional PowerPoint ($30) and interactive game ($30) teaching traffic safety, vehicle light recognition, and awareness around cars for neurodivergent individuals. Available as a $50 package deal.
• Autistry Press Publishing division producing books documenting the organization's mission and journey, including 'Share the Road: The Journey to Autistry' by Janet Lawson and Dan Swearingen. Available through Amazon, Bookshop.org, and in-store at the Makers Market.
• Autistry Merch Branded merchandise including hats, hoodies, shirts, bags, water bottles, mugs, and stickers, sold online through the Printify platform. Also includes Theatre Department merchandise and Equin program items.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18+ years of continuous operation providing therapeutic and vocational programs
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Square Peg Foundation at Cadence FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutistry partners with the Square Peg Foundation at Cadence Farm in Sonoma, where students work with rescued thoroughbred racehorses, help maintain the farm, and care for riding equipment. This partnership provides vocational training and internship opportunities for Autistry participants, helping them develop responsibility, routine, and animal care skills.
• Marin County ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutistry students work alongside Marin County Parks rangers to maintain trails, keep parks clean, and care for plants across 17,900 acres of county parkland including beaches, redwood forests, and open space preserves. The partnership provides meaningful outdoor vocational experience.
• Western Railway MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutistry crews work alongside museum staff and volunteers at the Western Railway Museum, contributing to the restoration of historic trolley cars, maintenance of the museum and grounds, and public engagement activities. Students have become an important part of the museum's volunteer community.
• Marin Shakespeare CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutistry's Theater Arts Department, under the direction of Tim Flavin, holds drama workshops and performances in Marin Shakespeare Company's 164-seat indoor theater and Forest Meadows outdoor amphitheater. This partnership provides creative arts programming and public performance opportunities for Autistry students.
• Double Rainbow CafecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Double Rainbow Cafe operates on-site at Autistry Studios' downtown facility. It serves as both a community gathering space and a vocational training site where students learn barista skills and cafe operations, gaining real-world work experience in a supportive environment.
• New York Hall of Science MakerspaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutistry Studios partnered with the New York Hall of Science Makerspace on a 2-day Cardboard World-Building Workshop led by NY Hall of Science staff at the Autistry Makerspace. The collaboration involves ongoing creative projects where Autistry students add details to a unique collaborative world vision.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• College Internship Program (CIP): Provides individualized transition, vocational, and life-skills programs for young adults with autism and learning differences across multiple U.S. locations. Closest direct peer to Autistry's teen-to-adult transition model, though CIP operates at multiple sites where Autistry is single-market.
• Giant Steps: Autism-specific school and transition program serving students and young adults with autism through therapeutic, vocational, and life-skills curricula. Comparable in mission and structure to Autistry's combined school-plus-adult-program offering.
• AANE (Asperger/Autism Network): New England-based nonprofit serving autistic teens and adults with programs, support groups, and community education. Directly comparable population (autistic teens/adults) and wraparound support services model.
• The Kelberman Center: Provides autism services across the lifespan — clinical, educational, and community-based supports for children, teens, and adults with autism. Closely comparable lifespan and community-integration orientation to Autistry.
• Different Brains Foundation: Nonprofit focused on neurodiversity acceptance, providing resources, programs, and media for neurodivergent individuals and their families. Comparable community/education mission though more media-focused than Autistry's maker-vocational model.

Broad incumbents

• The Help Group: One of the largest nonprofit providers of special education and autism services in the U.S., operating schools, therapeutic programs, and transition/adult services. Comparable in clinical expertise and program breadth but materially larger and broader than Autistry.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit network providing disability and autism services across the lifespan, including vocational, educational, and therapeutic supports. Broad incumbent covering similar service categories but at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• The Arc: National nonprofit federation providing advocacy and direct services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, across employment, education, and community living. Comparable mission space as a broad disability-services incumbent.
• AHRC New York City: Large New York-based nonprofit providing services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, across education, day programs, employment, and residential services. Comparable lifespan-services orientation but materially larger and more diversified.

Emerging players

• KultureCity: Nonprofit focused on autism acceptance, inclusion, and sensory-accessibility programming across entertainment, sports, and community venues. Tangentially comparable as an autism-focused nonprofit with similar target population, though distinct delivery model (inclusion/certification vs. maker-vocational).

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/autistry-studios-incorporated

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about autistry studios